Memorial Parkway mainline under Martin Road set to open to traffic on Friday

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — The Alabama Department of Transportation says they anticipate the section of Memorial Parkway mainline under Martin Road will open to traffic on Friday, July 28, if weather permits.

"It's going to be a big help to motorists to not have to go through another intersection," said Seth Burkett, public information officer for ALDOT's North Region.

"And certainly for traffic coming on and off the Arsenal. I think that's going to be good for them because the much higher volume of traffic on Memorial Parkway can create some backups for the Eastbound/Westbound traffic at rush hour. So there will be less of that, and the intersection will function much better with a lower volume of traffic."

This section of road was closed April 28 for reconstruction. Since then, all Memorial Parkway traffic has been diverted onto the service roads and through the intersection at Martin Road.

The process of opening the mainline will begin about 10 a.m. Motorists are advised to expect delays and brief stoppages. Authorities ask that you obey any flag wavers or law enforcement assisting with traffic control.

"This project is moving along very quickly, and I hope the public can see that every time they drive through," said Burkett.

ALDOT says that current diversion north of Martin Road will be removed.

"They will be going under Martin Road as opposed to going through the intersection," said Burkett.

Mainline traffic will soon be diverted to and from the service roads just south of Boulevard South. Motorists entering the southbound service road from the Martin Road intersection will be required to stop.

This configuration will remain in place while construction continues on the overpasses at Byrd Spring Road and Logan Drive/Lily Flagg Road and additional mainline segments to continue work on Phase II of the parkway project.

ALDOT wants you to know that even though you may not see crews in as many places, the work is still going on and ahead of schedule.

"Certainly work is concentrated in fewer areas at this point, so they may not see things as apparently as they did in the early stages of the project. Right now the controlling items on the project are really the overpasses," said Burkett.